Happy Friday! Hope everyone is doing well at the end of another beautiful fall week.
We finished one of our most important annual tasks this week: the submission of the tentative budget for the upcoming year. I have overseen the budget process for the Town of Ossining for seven years now, and I am proud to be once again submitting a tax cap compliant Tentative Budget to the Town Board. This budget represents a reduction in tax rates in the Unincorporated Town of Ossining and the Town General, while making significant investments to improve quality of life for all residents, now and in the future.
A budget is a reflection of the values and priorities of those who create it. This budget invests in our local infrastructure, provides meals and activities to our senior citizens, improves our parks and public spaces, advances our commitment to reverse course on climate change and stand resilient against its devastating effects, dedicates funds towards improving equity in the community, helps us plan for housing that people can afford, and provides for public safety. I’m proud of the investments we’re making in improving life for all residents of the Town of Ossining.
This budget is also a true reflection of the hard working and dedicated public servants who show up each and every day to serve their neighbors in our “Volunteer-Spirited Town.” I am so grateful to be a part of Team Town; none of this important work would get done without these incredible people working behind the scenes every day to support and benefit our public. Special thanks to Victoria Cafarelli, our Budget Officer; Dale Brennan, Town Comptroller; and Liz Naccari, Deputy Comptroller, for their diligence in managing the process, crunching the numbers, and working a little bit of magic to make everything add up!
To review the full budget message, the tentative budget itself, and the list of scheduled meetings between the Town Board and the Town’s department heads, click here to visit the budget office page of our website. The public is also invited to join us for a public hearing on the budget, scheduled for 7:30pm on Tuesday, November 22 via Zoom and in-person at the Ossining Municipal Building at 16 Croton Avenue. Zoom details are as follows:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87069189290
Or Telephone:
US: +1 929 205 6099
Webinar ID: 870 6918 9290
We encourage members of the public to review the budget and make comments. Comment will be taken at the Public Hearing, by phone at (914) 762-6001, or by email to the Town Board at .
In other news, this week marks the 10 year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. This moment is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of shoreline resiliency, as well as the need to curb our emissions to keep global warming as low as possible. Please be sure to join us this coming Thursday, November 3rd at 6 p.m. at the Ossining Community Center (95 Broadway) for the Ossining Shoreline Revitalization Community Meeting. We are seeking the community’s feedback on the draft shoreline improvements that have been proposed so far. We look forward to hearing your input on how we can improve the waterfront to reflect your values and priorities. An interpreter and translated materials will be available for Spanish speakers. Learn more about this project and its importance at https://www.greenossining.org/shoreline-resiliency/. Click the images (or here) to RSVP for the meeting!
Speaking of environmental protection, Westchester County Government recently released an excellent video reminding everyone to flip over their ballots when they go to vote in this year’s election. The flip side of the ballot contains a question about whether or not to pass New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. If “Yes” wins, the $4.2B Bond Act will fund restoration and flood risk reduction, climate change mitigation, open space land conservation, recreation and water quality improvement, and resilient infrastructure. Click here to watch the video, and remember to flip your ballot! The Town Board has issued a resolution in support of the Environmental Bond Act, and I recently wrote a letter to the editor in support of it; click here to read my letter about why I’m voting yes and hope you will too!
Early voting starts tomorrow (Saturday, October 29) and we will once again have an early voting location here in Ossining, at the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center. Click here for details on early voting hours and additional locations, if another Westchester County location would be more convenient for you during the week.
Tomorrow is also National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, initiated to help address prescription drug misuse. You can bring any unused prescription medications to the Birdsall-Fagan Police Court Facility for safe disposal.
As we get closer to the start of the new Westchester Power contract starting, a reminder that notices have gone out in the mail regarding the details of our new electricity supply contract. This contract will help us lower our carbon footprint with 100% green electricity supply. It will also guarantee a steady, fixed rate through the length of the contract, which is incredibly valuable in our current volatile energy market. Learn more about the new contract by visiting www.sustainablewestchester.org/wp. Be sure to get the facts so you can make an educated decision about whether to stay in the program, or opt out, when the new contract goes into effect next week on November 1.
Ready for some Halloween fun? Keep scrolling! And please drive extra carefully over the next few days; between tomorrow morning’s Ragamuffin Parade and other festivities, there will be lots more children navigating the streets. Please allow them to do so safely!
We will see you soon - till then, be safe and healthy! Happy Halloween!
--Dana
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